Sharing the beauty of the mountains, the harsh cold, the mosquitoes, the love of being here, anything Alaskan, with pictures and words.

Monday, April 03, 2006

The Cold Wind Blows

The cold wind blows.
It lightly snows.
I think of her.

Life does not last.
Death has come too fast.
I think of her.

Empty, long days
While he quietly lays.
I cry for her.

Many live daily without the presence of a loved one but today I wrote this to honor Stella Havatone. She lost her husband to a heart attack on March 9, 2006. Stella and Wendell sang at this years Native Musicale on the first night. Wendell and Stella have 21 grandchildren!

Wendell was well known for his singing and musical talents since his high school years at Kingman High School. After graduating with the class of 1965, he attended Haskell Junior College in Lawrence, Kan., where he was the president of the student body.

Life took Mr. Havatone on many paths. He also formed a band in 1972 known as "Wendell and the Havatones." He worked as a telephone lineman for Citizens Utilities, was a Bureau of Indian Affairs heavy equipment operator at Long Mesa above the Havasupai Indian Reservation and served several terms as a Hualapai Tribal Council member. Wendell was also a tribal vice chairman, Tribal Livestock owner, and most recently a bush-flying reverend across Northern Alaska. (As quoted from his obituary.)

"Until then my heart will go on singing, until then with joy I'll carry on, until the day my eyes behold that City, until the day... Christ calls me home."